Refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator includes a cabinet with a refrigerating chamber and a cooling air passage that extends vertically along an inner wall of the refrigerating chamber. A heat exchanging device is installed at a lower side of the cabinet and generates cooling air. A blowing unit is installed at an upper portion of the cooling air passage, and acts to suck cool air from the heat exchanging device and to blow the cool air into an upper portion of the refrigerating chamber. A temperature within the refrigerating chamber can be uniformly maintained, refrigerating performance can be improved, and power consumption can be reduced.

The present claims priority to Korean Application No. 10-2006-0023707,filed on Mar. 14, 2006, which is herein expressly incorporated byreference in its entirely.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present invention relates to a refrigerator and, more particularly,to a refrigerator capable of improving refrigerating performance bysmoothly circulating cooling air.

2. Background

In general, a refrigerator is a device for storing drinks and food itemsat a low temperature. As living standards have improved, there has beenan increased demand for keeping drinks cold, regardless of environmentalconditions. That is, for example, people want to have cold drinkingwater or beverages in the summer season or want to have wine kept at acertain temperature regardless of the season. In order to meet thedemand, refrigerators tailored to store various types of beverages havebeen developed.

A related art refrigerator typically includes a refrigerating chamberfor storing food and beverages, and a heat exchanging device installedat a lower side of the refrigerating chamber. Cooling air generated bythe heat exchanging device is introduced into a lower side of therefrigerating chamber using a fan installed underneath the refrigeratingchamber at the heat exchanging device.

Because low temperature air tends to flow downward, cool air generatedby the heat exchanging device should be quickly transferred to the upperside of the refrigerating chamber so as to uniformly lower thetemperature within the refrigerating chamber, and so that the cool airwill flow back down to the lower side from the upper side. However,related art bottle coolers have several problems.

The shelves installed within the refrigerating chamber and/or the foodand beverages placed on the shelves interfere with the flow of cold airwithin the refrigerating chamber. Thus, it is not easy to transfer coolair from the heat exchange device located underneath the refrigeratingchamber to the upper side of the refrigerating chamber. In order toquickly transfer cool air to the upper side of the refrigeratingchamber, an output of the fan must be increased, which results in anincrease in power consumption.

In addition, because it is not easy to quickly transfer cool air to theupper side of the refrigerating chamber, a temperature in the upperportion of the refrigerating chamber tends to be higher than atemperature at the lower portion. In other words, it is difficult tomaintain a uniform internal temperature of the refrigerating chamber.This is particularly problematic when items such as wine, which requirea uniform temperature, is stored in the refrigerator.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the followingdrawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a refrigerator;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a cabinet of the refrigerator of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of an upper portion of therefrigerator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing one example of a heat exchangingdevice of a refrigerator;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing another example of a heat exchangingdevice of a refrigerator; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing still another example of a heatexchanging device of a refrigerator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerator includes a cabinet 210 having arefrigerating chamber 211 with an insulated interior. A door 218 ismounted at a front side thereof. A plurality of shelves 212 areinstalled within the refrigerating chamber 211. A heat exchanging device310 may be permanently or detachably mounted to a lower side of thecabinet 210. The heat exchanging device performs a refrigerating cycleof compressing, condensing, expanding and evaporating to generatecooling air.

As shown in FIG. 2, at one side of a lower portion the cabinet 210 thereis an outlet 214 for allowing air which has been circulated through therefrigerating chamber 211 to be discharged to the heat exchanging device300. A cooling air passage 213, extending in a vertical direction, isformed at a rear side of the refrigerating chamber 211 to allow aircooled by the heat exchanging device 310 to be guided to the upperportion of the refrigerating chamber 211.

The cooling air passage 213 can be formed by installing a duct at oneside of the refrigerating chamber 211. Preferably, it is formed bydividing the rear side of the refrigerating chamber 211 by using aseparation wall 215 to simplify components and facilitate the assemblyprocess. In alternate embodiments, the cooling air passage 213 can beformed at a left and/or right side of the refrigerating chamber 211,without being limited to the formation at the rear side of therefrigerating chamber 211.

As shown in FIG. 3, a blowing unit 216 for sucking cool air from theheat exchanging device 310 and forcibly blowing the cool air into theupper portion of the refrigerating chamber 211 can be formed at an upperside of the cooling air passage 213. A cooling air inflow member 219having a plurality of holes 217 allows cool air blown by the blowingunit 216 to flow into the refrigerating chamber 211 therethrough.

The blowing unit 216 includes a driving motor 16 fixed on an inner wallof the cooling air passage 213 and a blowing fan 17 connected with thedriving motor 16. The fan 17 blows cool air from the cooling air passage213 into the refrigerating chamber by being rotated according to anoperation of the driving motor 16.

In order to simplify the assembly process, and to minimize the number ofcomponents, the cooling air inflow member 219 may be integrally formedat an upper portion of the separation wall 215. But the presentinvention is not limited thereto. The cooling air inflow member 219 canalso be formed as a separate member which is then fixed at an upperportion of the separation wall 215.

Preferably, the cooling air inflow member 219 is formed such that it hasa convex or domed shape which protrudes into the refrigerating chamber211. This shape helps to ensure that cool air blown by the blowing unit216 can be uniformly distributed into the entirety of the refrigeratingchamber 211. Alternatively, the cooling air inflow member 219 can beformed in various other shapes so that cooling air can be smoothlycirculated in the entire refrigerating chamber.

As shown in FIG. 4, the heat exchanging device 310 includes a casing 311attached to a lower side of the cabinet 210. The heat exchanging device310 may be permanently attached to the cabinet 210, or it may bedesigned to be detachable. A mechanical chamber 323 is formed therein. Acompressor 317 is installed within the mechanical chamber 323 and actsto compress a refrigerant. A condenser 316 acts to cool and condense therefrigerant compressed in the compressor 317. An expansion valve 324converts the high temperature high pressure refrigerant from thecondenser 316 into a low temperature low pressure refrigerant. Anevaporator 315 acts to absorb ambient heat while evaporating the lowtemperature, low pressure liquid refrigerant which has passed throughthe expansion valve 324. A condenser fan 322 blows air heated by thecondenser 316 out of the device.

At an upper side of the casing 310 is an air circulation hole 318communicating with the outlet 214 of the cabinet 210 to allow air whichhas circulated in the interior of the refrigerating chamber 211 to flowinto the mechanical chamber 323. A cooling air outflow hole 319communicates with the cooling air passage 213 and allows cool generatedin the mechanical chamber 323 into flow into the cooling air passage213.

Preferably, the air circulation hole 318 and the cooling air outflowhole 319 are formed at opposite sides of the evaporator 315 so that theair flowing into the air circulation hole 318 can pass across theevaporator 315 and then out the outflow hole 319.

In addition, in an alternate embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a filter325 can be mounted in the air circulation hole 318 to prevent debrisfrom entering the mechanical chamber 323. Preferably, the filter 325 hasa filtering net structure to help air smoothly flow.

At one lower side of the casing 311, an inlet 320 is located to allowexternal air to be introduced into the mechanical chamber 323. Thecondenser fan 322 would act to draw external air into the mechanicalchamber 323, across the condenser 316, and then out the outlet 321.Thus, air which has been heated by the condenser 331 is discharged tothe outside. Preferably, the condenser fan 322 is positioned near theoutlet 321.

A separation wall 312 divides the interior of the mechanical chamber 323to prevent cool air which has passed across the evaporator 315 frommixing with, and being heated by, high temperature air around thecondenser 316. Accordingly, the mechanical chamber 323 is dividedadiabatically by the separation wall 312. A first chamber 313 containsthe compressor 317, the condenser 316 and the expansion valve 324, andthe inlet 320 and the outlet 321 open into the first chamber 313. Asecond chamber 314 contains the evaporator 315, and the air circulationhole 318 and outflow hole 319 open into the second chamber 314.

The second chamber 314 is insulated to prevent cool air cooled by theevaporator 321 from absorbing heat from ambient air, or from the firstchamber 313. Accordingly, the casing 311 and the separation wall 312 forforming the second chamber 314 are preferably made of an insulating,adiabatic material.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, in alternate embodiments, a fan can beadditionally provided at various positions in the second chamber 314 tomake air passing across the evaporator 315 flow more smoothly. Namely,as shown in FIG. 5, in order to enhance heat exchanging efficiency ofthe evaporator 315, a fan 325 can be mounted near the air circulationhole 318 to blow air toward the evaporator 315. In another embodiment,as shown in FIG. 6, a fan 327 can be mounted near the cooling airoutflow hole 319 to make air which has passed across the evaporator 315flow smoothly into the cooling air passage 213.

The operation of a refrigerator as described above will now bedescribed. First, the heat exchanging device 310 is installed at thelower side of the cabinet 210 such that the outlet 214 and the coolingair passage 213 of the cabinet 210 communicate with the air circulationhole 318 and the cooling air outflow hole 319 of the heat exchangingdevice 310. When power is applied to operate the heat exchanging device310, a refrigerant is compressed in the compressor 317, and is thencondensed in the condenser 316. The compressed refrigerant passesthrough the expansion valve 324, and is then introduced into theevaporator 315. According to the operation of the blowing unit 216, airwithin the refrigerating chamber 211 flows toward the evaporator 315through the outlet 214 and the air circulation hole 318. The air iscooled while passing across the evaporator 315. The cool air flows tothe upper side of the cabinet 210 through the cooling air passage 213 soas to be introduced into the refrigerating chamber 211 through theplurality of holes 217 formed at the cooling air inflow member 219 tothus cool the interior of the refrigerating chamber 211. According tosuch processes, an internal temperature of the refrigerating chamber 211is uniformly maintained.

A refrigerator as described above has many advantages. First, becausethe cooling air passage 213 guides air which has been cooled by the heatexchanging device 310 to the upper side of the refrigerating chamber211, cool air can flow directly into to the upper side of therefrigerating chamber 211. The shelves and items stored within therefrigerating chamber do not impede the flow of cool air from the heatexchanging device 310 to the upper portion of the chamber, nor do thestored items act to heat the cool air. As a result, it is easier tomaintain a uniform temperature within the refrigerating chamber 211.Therefore, the refrigerating performance can be improved and powerconsumption can be reduced.

Second, because the blowing unit 216 is installed at the upper portionof the cooling air passage 213, cool air can be uniformly distributedinto the entire interior of the refrigerating chamber 211, to thusquickly reduce the interior of the refrigerating chamber 211 to a lowtemperature.

Third, because the blowing unit 216 is positioned at the upper side ofthe refrigerating chamber 211, not at or adjacent the mechanical chamber323, the size of the second chamber 314, which is to be properlyinsulated with the evaporator 315 therein, can be reduced. Therefore,the overall heat loss can be reduced and the heat exchanging device 310can be reduced in size.

Fourth, because the heat exchanging device 310 for supplying cooling airinto the refrigerating chamber 211 is detachably mounted to therefrigerating chamber 211, maintenance and repairing of the refrigeratorcan be easily performed.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, itshould also be understood that the above-described embodiments are notlimited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unlessotherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within itsspirit and scope as defined in the appended claims. All changes andmodifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, orequivalents of such metes and bounds, are therefore intended to beembraced by the appended claims.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Theappearances of such phrases in various places in the specification arenot necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic is described inconnection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within thepurview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, orcharacteristic in connection with other embodiments. More particularly,various variations and modifications are possible in the component partsand/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within thescope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims. Inaddition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/orarrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled inthe art.

1. A refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet including a refrigeratingchamber and a cooling air passage extending in a vertical direction atone side of the refrigerating chamber; a heat exchanging deviceinstalled at a lower side of the cabinet and generating cool air; and ablowing unit installed at an upper portion of the cooling air passageand configured to suck cool air from the heat exchanging device and toblow the cool air into an upper portion of the refrigerating chamber. 2.The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the cooling air passage is formedby mounting a separation wall on one side of an interior wall of therefrigerating chamber.
 3. The cooler of claim 2, wherein a cooling airinflow member including a plurality of holes is provided at an upperportion of the separation wall.
 4. The refrigerator of claim 3, whereinthe separation wall and the cooling air inflow member are integrallyformed.
 5. The refrigerator of claim 3, wherein the cooling air inflowmember has a convex shape that protrudes into the refrigerating chamber.6. The refrigerator of claim 5, wherein the holes of the cooling airinflow member are formed so that air from the cooling air passage isdirected in multiple directions as it passes through the cooling airinflow member and into the refrigerating chamber.
 7. The refrigerator ofclaim 1, wherein the heat exchanging device is detachably mounted to thecabinet and includes a casing in which a mechanical chamber is provided,and wherein a separation wall is installed within the casing to dividethe mechanical chamber into a first chamber in which a compressor, acondenser and an expansion valve are disposed and a second chamber inwhich an evaporator is disposed.
 8. The refrigerator of claim 7, whereinthe second chamber is insulated.
 9. The refrigerator of claim 7, whereinthe casing includes: a cooling air outflow hole which allows cool air inthe second chamber to be supplied to the cooling air passage; and an aircirculation hole which allows air in the refrigerating chamber to flowinto the second chamber.
 10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein theair circulation hole and the cooling air outflow hole are formed onopposite sides of an evaporator mounted in the second chamber.
 11. Therefrigerator of claim 9, wherein a fan is installed in the secondchamber.
 12. The refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the fan is installednear the air circulation hole.
 13. The refrigerator of claim 11, whereinthe fan is installed near the cooling air outflow hole.
 14. Therefrigerator of claim 9, further comprising a filter mounted at the aircirculation hole.
 15. A refrigerator, comprising: a cabinet having arefrigerating chamber; a refrigeration unit mounted within a casing,wherein the casing of the refrigeration unit is detachably coupled to alower side of the cabinet; a cooling air passage formed on one side ofthe refrigerating chamber and configured to conduct cool air from therefrigeration unit to an upper portion of the refrigerating chamber; anda blowing unit installed in an upper portion of the cooling air passageand configured to cause cool air to circulate between the refrigeratingchamber and the refrigeration unit.
 16. The refrigerator of claim 15,wherein a cooling air inflow member is formed at an upper portion of thecooling air passage, and wherein the cooling air inflow member includesa plurality of apertures that are configured to direct cool air from thecooling air passage into different areas within the refrigeratingchamber.
 17. The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein the cooling airinflow member is convex and protrudes into the refrigerating chamber.18. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein the casing of therefrigeration unit is separated into first chamber located at a lowerportion of the casing and a second chamber located at an upper portionof the casing adjacent the cabinet, wherein an evaporator is mounted ina second chamber, and wherein only the second chamber is insulated. 19.The refrigerator of claim 18, wherein a fan is located in the secondchamber, and wherein the fan is configured to assist circulation of coolair between the refrigerating chamber and the refrigeration unit. 20.The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein the casing of the refrigerationunit is separated into first chamber located at a lower portion of thecasing and a second chamber located at an upper portion of the casingadjacent the cabinet, wherein an evaporator is mounted in a secondchamber, wherein an inlet hole and an outlet hole are formed in thesecond chamber on opposite sides, respectively, of the evaporator.